Potential - Fields Exercises

GY333 & 338 – Potential Fields computer based
exercises
A. Excel spreadsheet “Gravity effects” – sheet “Spheres”
This sheet calculates the gravity effects of two different spheres (Sphere 1 and Sphere 2) of
given densities and given radii at given depths (to the centre of the sphere). (Note that the
model illustration does not change as the parameters change).
Keep Sphere 1 as a reference (i.e., don’t change the model values of density, radius and depth –
cells B4, B5 and B6) and answer the following questions by adjusting the model values for Sphere
2.
1. Change the depth of Sphere 2 to 1500 m. (i) Sketch what happens to the gravity anomaly (top
diagram “vertical gravitational attraction”) along the horizontal distance axis (from -2000 to 2000
m) compared to Sphere 1 and describe this in several words. (ii) Sketch what happens to the
horizontal gravity gradient (middle diagram “first derivative”) along the horizontal distance axis
(from -2000 to 2000 m) compared to Sphere 1 and describe this in several words.
2. Change the depth of Sphere 2 back to 1000 m (same as Sphere 1) and change the density
of Sphere 2 to 800 kgm-3. (i) Sketch what happens to the gravity anomaly (top diagram
“vertical gravitational attraction”) along the horizontal distance axis (from -2000 to 2000
m) compared to Sphere 1 and describe this in several words. (ii) Sketch what happens to
the horizontal gravity gradient (middle diagram “first derivative”) along the horizontal
distance axis (from -2000 to 2000 m) compared to Sphere 1 and describe this in several
words.
3. Can you achieve the same gravity anomaly along the profile for both spheres for different
values of density, radius and depth of each? (Note that the spreadsheet does not allow values
outside of a specified permissible range).
B. Excel spreadsheet “Gravity effects” – sheet “Faulted horizontal slabs”
This sheet calculates the gravity effects of a reverse or normal faulted rock layer of fixed thickness
and positive density contrast for given depths to the layer on the upthrown and downthrown sides
of the fault and a given dip angle of the fault surface (“fault inclination”). If the fault inclination is
< 90 degrees it’s a normal fault and if it is > 90 degrees it’s a reverse fault but note that the model
illustration does not change as the parameters change.
1. Change the dip of the fault systematically from 60 to 150 degrees. Sketch on a single diagram
what happens along the horizontal distance axis (from -2000 to 2000 m) for dips of 60, 90, 120
and 150 degrees to (i) the gravity anomaly, (ii) the horizontal gravity gradient (middle diagram
“first derivative”) and (iii) along the gradient of the gradient (lower diagram “second derivative”)
as the fault dip changes.
2. Explain (i.e., not just describe) in a couple of sentences what you have observed. What are
the first and second derivatives?
C. Program “PDYKE”
This program calculates the magnetic anomaly (“TMI”) as well as its vertical gradient (“TMI Vert
Grad”) and analytical signal (“TMI Anal Signal”) and gravity anomaly (“Grav Z”) as well as its
vertical gradient (“Grav Vert Grad”) for a basalt dyke for given model parameters, including
magnetic susceptibility and density, respectively.
GY333 & 338 – Potential Fields computer based
exercises
This part of the exercise is concerned only with the magnetic anomaly.
1. Increase systematically the magnetic susceptibility from 0.01 to 0.03 (SI units). (i) What happens
to the maximum and minimum values of the magnetic anomaly (“TMI”)? (ii) How does the shape
of the magnetic anomaly change? (iii) What about the vertical gradient (“TMI Vert Grad”) and
analytical signal (“TMI Anal Signal”)?
2. Increase systematically the magnitude of the Earth’s magnetic field (H) from 50000 to 60000 nT.
(i) What happens to the maximum and minimum values of the magnetic anomaly (“TMI”)? (ii)
How does the shape of the magnetic anomaly change? (iii) What about the vertical gradient
(“TMI Vert Grad”) and analytical signal (“TMI Anal Signal”): how do these change?
3. Increase systematically the inclination of the Earth’s magnetic field (deg) from -50 to +90 degrees.
(i) Sketch the magnetic anomaly (“TMI”) on a single diagram for -45, 0, +45 and +90 degrees and
explain why what happens, happens. (ii) Sketch the vertical gradient of the magnetic anomaly
(“TMI Vert Grad”) on a single diagram for -45, 0, +45 and +90 degrees. (iii) Sketch the analytical
signal of the magnetic anomaly (“TMI Anal Signal”) on a single diagram for -45, 0, +45 and +90
degrees and suggest why calculating the analytical signal of a magnetic anomaly (such as here, for
a basalt dyke) may be helpful in exploration.

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GY333 & 338 – Potential Fields computer based

A. Excel spreadsheet “Gravity effects” – sheet “Spheres”

B. Excel spreadsheet “Gravity effects” – sheet “Faulted horizontal slabs”

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